Tanya McCormack Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl that Caused the Death of Cole McMahon in Wolfeboro

New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph A. Foster and Wolfeboro Police Chief Dean Rondeau jointly announce that Tanya McCormack, age 27, of Effingham pled guilty today in Carroll County Superior Court to selling fentanyl that caused the death of Cole McMahon, age 22, of Wolfeboro. Ms. McCormack was sentenced to eleven (11) to twenty two (22) years in the New Hampshire State Prison with three (3) years suspended off of the minimum and maximum portion of the sentence for selling the controlled drug fentanyl which caused Cole McMahon’s death in September of 2015.

On August 31, 2015, Tanya McCormack met with Cole McMahon in Ossipee and sold him a quantity of the controlled drug fentanyl. Cole ingested that fentanyl, suffered an acute intoxication from the fentanyl causing a fatal overdose and was found unresponsive in his parents’ home in Wolfeboro early on September 1, 2015. Cole was pronounced dead at Huggins Hospital a short time later.

New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph A Foster said, “Opioid and fentanyl misuse is our most serious public health and public safety problem. In 2016, it is estimated that New Hampshire suffered over 475 overdose deaths; nearly 200 involved fentanyl alone while another 126 involved fentanyl with another drug. Fentanyl is a serial killer. Those who sell it are choosing to sell poison to another and should be held accountable. Ms. McCormack made a choice to sell a deadly drug and it caused Mr. McMahon’s death. Today she faced the consequences of that choice.”

Chief Dean J. Rondeau of the Wolfeboro Police Department said, “The investigation, prosecution and subsequent sentencing of Tanya McCormack highlights the strong interagency cooperation between the Wolfeboro Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office and the DEA that is so crucial to fighting and ending our State’s Opioid epidemic. Today's sentence sends a very strong message to the Greater Wolfeboro Community about our Department’s dedication to stopping dealers who sell drugs that could potentially kill; and who continue to do so even when they know their drugs have killed a member of this community.” The Chief went on to say, “The State of New Hampshire is faced with a very real fentanyl and heroin crisis never before seen in our State. This nearly two-year-long investigation underscores the professionalism and dedication by members of the Wolfeboro Police Department and shows just how committed we are to stopping this Opioid crisis. We will continue to team-up with our local, County, State and Federal partners to stop those who prey upon some of our most disadvantaged and vulnerable residents.”

Attorney General Foster and Chief Rondeau jointly announce that this success came about from an investigation by the Wolfeboro Police Department spearheaded by Detective Guy Maloney, with the assistance of the Office of the New Hampshire Attorney General, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Hampshire State Police and the Carroll County Sherriff’s Office.